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(N0 Model.) 3 Shts-8heet 1.

J. M. ROSSE FLEXING UHAIN PROPELLER.

Patented Aug. 26, 18.84..

INVENTOR:

(No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. M. ROSSE.

FLEXING CHAIN PROPELLER.

No. 304,086. Patented Aug. 26, 1 884.

. l 1 q l I l L l; l i i l 4 i 1 1 i K i I I l 1 l l. Q v v 1 1 n i i 4 l 1 1 g 1 WITNESSES: I-INVENTOR:

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3;

J. M. ROSSE.

FLEXING CHAIN PROPELLER.

No. 804,036. Patented Aug. 26, 1884.

INVENTOR WITNESSES KM lya/fifa/ mu n. PETERS PhowLil GnpM Washingcn. I:v a

Urii'rnn STATES Parent @rricn.

. JAMES M. POSSE, OF TARRYTOW'N, NEW YORK.

FLEXlNG-CHAIN PROPELLER.

GPECZFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 304,036, dated August 26, 188%.

Application filed January 3, 1894.

To all whom it viz-a1; con/earn.-

Be it known that I, J Arms M. BossE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tarrytown, in the county of Vestchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Endless'Ohain Propellers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to chain-propellers of the class intended for the propulsion of boats or ships.

The invention consists in the connection of the buckets with each other and with the carrying-chains in a peculiar manner, whereby the links are flexed and the buckets folded in toward the wheel-shafts in passing round the wheels; also, in the construction of said links and connections; also, in certain details hereinafter pointed out in the claims.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction and render more certain the operation of chain-propellers.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the connecting links and clip whereby my buckets are connected, part of the bucket being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same, showing also a section of the endless carrier. Fig. 3 is aview similar to Fig. 1, showing a bucket with a side board. Fig. 4 is a section on line :0 :0, Fig. 2, but showing the bucket in inclned posit-ion, as when passing round the wheels. Fig. 5 is a longitudina-l sectional elevation on line 3 Fig. 6, details being omitted, showing the position of the links and buckets with relation to the carrierwheels. Fig. 6 is a plan of the essential features of the entire propeller.

The referenceletter a indicates the link which carries one end of the bucket. This link maybe of cast metal or may be struck up so as to have a flange, 0, which is the support, against which the bucket a is firmly secured by screws, bolts, or rivets. The flange chas a clip, 1), extending from itsrear surface. This clip has preferably two cars or lugs, to afford aflrm hearing for the bolt m,which passes therethrough, and also has a stop, a, at its outerportion. The companion link; d has a loop which passes within the clip I), and pivots on bolt m, anda projecting shoulder, 7;, which abuts against the shoulder i when the links are coupled, so

(No model.)

that the two links cannot be drawn into a straight line; but a chain made up of such links must always be slightly sinuous. Each chain of links a d is connected to an endless carrier (which may be a chain, as shown in Fig. 2, or a wire cable, as on, Fig. 6, or other flexible belt) by rods j,which pass through the aperture 9 in the front of link a, and through a boss, 6, at the rear of link (I, and is fixed to the endless carrier in. It will be understood that a similar arrangement of links is made at each end of buckets a, and each set of links is connected to an endless carrier, as shown in Fig. 6. The rods j may extend entirely across the propeller, as shown in Fig. 6, in which case the bosses on links d may be dispensed withgif deemed advisable. Side plates, Z, may be applied to links a forward of the buckets, to prevent side wash. The endless carriers k it" pass around wheels or disks 0 0, arranged on axles p p. The two axles p p are such distance apart lengthwise of the vessel with which the propeller is to be used as to give a proper length to the chain-propeller and cause a suitable number of buckets to engage the water, as shown in Fig. 5. Two disks 0 0 are arranged on each akle p at such ,distance apart as will permit the buckets a and their chains of links to pass between said disks, as shown at Fig. 6.

It has been stated that the chain of links a d is not permitted to be in a straight line, but the joints are slightly flexed. attachment of the rods or supports j to carriers k',therefore,will be a little closer together than the united length of the links a d. The joint which carries the buckets a is bent inward-= that is, toward the line uniting the two axles p p. The effect of this inward ilexure of the links is, when the endless carriers kare made to revolve around the wheels or disks 0, to bend the links still further inward, so that the buckets approach the axles p, as shown in Fig. The reason of this is clear, since the distance from -9- to s, Fig. 5, by way of the cir cumferenec of the wheel which the carriers follow is greater than in a direct line from 1- to s. As the rigid links a d are already slightly bent inward at the joint near which the buckets are placed, they will be still further flexed as the carriers pass round the wheels, as shown in Fig. 5. The stops 1'- k at the joints of links The points of a dare not essential if the carriers are connected, as described, to the links, and if the carriers do not stretch. Iprefer, however, to use stops at the joints; but my invention is not limited to the special stops hereinbefore described. v

The operation of the device will be appar ent from an examination of Fig. 5. \Vhen the wheels are driven in the direction indicated by the arrows, thcbuckets, in entering and leaving the water, will do so at nearly right angles with the surface of the water, and will then move forward in a plane parallel with the surface. The wheel or propeller can be backed with equal facility.

I claim 1. The combination, in a chain-propeller, of flexible carriers which pass round the carrierwheels, and chains of rigid links which carry the buckets, said chains being connected to the carriers at distances aparta little less than the full length of the intervening links, and the links between the points of connection being flexed inward, substantially as described.

2. In an endless-chain propeller, chains of rigid links having buckets thereon, said links flexed inward at the joints near the buckets,

and provided with stops to prevent the joints from becoming entirely straightened, combined with endless earrierspassing round the carrierwheels, substantially as described.

3. An endless chain for a chain-propeller, consisting, essentially, of links a,having flanges to support the buckets, and projecting clips and stops, as described, links (I, having stops, as described, and suitablepivots, as set forth, whereby the links of the chain are prevented from assuming a right line, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the flexible carriers, the rigid links, arranged as described with relation thereto, and forming the bucket-carrying chains, each alternate link provided with a perforated boss, as e, and connections j, which form the pivots of the chain-links passing through said bosses and links and connected to the endless carriers, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of witnesses.

' JAMES M. ROSSE; XVitnesses:

A. L. Rossn, HENRY C. GRIFFIN, DANIEL D. XVILLsoN, EMMA K. GREENE. 

